Rodon off target in Chicago White Sox's loss to Indians
At this late stage of the season, some teams wonder who they're going to draw in the playoffs.
Others, like the Chicago White Sox, wonder who is coming back next and who isn't.
"Whenever I think about something like that, it's just kind of sad in a sense because I love all the guys that are here," infielder Tyler Saladino said. "It's been just an awesome experience to spend an entire summer with this group of guys.
"There's been plenty of lows and plenty of highs and the whole time with these guys, it's been a grind. But we've tried to be as productive as possible and I just really enjoyed the entire summer. I don't like thinking about next year because these 18 games we have left, I'm trying to make the most of it with the guys."
The Sox lost to the Cleveland Indians 6-1 on Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
It was a rough night for Carlos Rodon, who was 5-1 with a 2.52 ERA since the all-star break.
Rodon lasted just 5 innings against the Indians, allowing 6 runs on 9 hits. Coco Crisp's 3-run homer with no outs in the sixth knocked Rodon out of the game.
In the fourth inning, Rodon issued consecutive walks to Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana, and Jose Ramirez followed with a 2-run triple.
"When he first started out, the ball was coming out of his hand great," manager Robin Ventura said of Rodon. "That stuff's going to happen. With the two walks, things can unravel and they're a team that can pounce on it."
The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Saladino singled with one out and scored on Adam Eaton's triple.
The Sox will pack it up Oct. 2 and head home for the winter, so Saladino is looking to make the most of the dwindling schedule.
"You get home for a week or two and you can finally relax, but after a couple of weeks you miss it," he said. "And you miss the guys that you were playing with. So I don't like to think about next year. I like to make everything count when we are here."
Wait 'til next year:
The White Sox announced their 2017 schedule, and they'll open the season at home on April 3 against the Detroit Tigers. The Sox will play 28 of their first 34 games against AL Central opponents.
"We'll see where we're at right from jump street," Todd Frazier said. "You have to play them eventually, so why not see where we're at? Let's get after it."
The White Sox play four straight games against the Cubs, the first two at Wrigley Field (July 24-25) and the final two at home.